Rekindled Spark
by ice shredder
Summary: Eight months after the Fall of Beacon, Yang must come to grips with her disability, battle her demons and decide if she wants to rejoin the outside world- Sequel to 'Scattered Embers'. 'T' for safety. TRIGGER WARNINGS: vivid depictions of PTSD, depression, slight language and blood. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Rekindled Spark**

 **Fandom: RWBY**

 **Author: ice shredder**

 **Disclaimer: everything-except the plot of this fic-belongs to RT and Monty Oum.**

 **Spoilers: This is the sequel to 'Scattered Embers' so Volume 4 is fair game. If you haven't seen it, go do that first before reading. THIS IS YOUR ONE AND ONLY WARNING. I WILL NOT TOLERATE FLAMERS YELLING AT ME THAT I SPOILED THE VOLUME FOR THEM THROUGH THIS FIC.**

 **Other than that, enjoy and don't forget to let me know what you think!**

 **Summary: "I lost something. A piece of me is gone. And it's never coming back." Eight months after the Fall of Beacon, Yang must come to grips with her disability-and decide if she wants to rejoin the outside world-as her inner demons threaten to overwhelm her while she sits in a depressive fog at her home in Patch.**

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The warm golden sunlight streaming through the living room windows went unnoticed by the lethargic teenage girl sitting numbly on the couch. Deadened lilac orbs stared blankly at the somber voice of Lisa Lavender emanating from the holo-screen as she kept up a steady flow of reports on who perpetrated the attack on Beacon and Vale.

Yang Xiao Long sat unmoving on the couch, the fingers of her left hand resting on her thigh. She could watch some TV but it'd only be the local news. Which was nothing short of depressing and Yang couldn't stomach more than a few random blurbs. It wasn't like anything else was on, what with the CCT down and her instructors working around the clock to restore Vale back to a semblance of normalcy.

She let out a silent scoff. _Normal. Hah. There's no such thing as 'normal'. Not anymore. Not if ya count having a healthy dose of PTSD or chopped off limbs as normal._ Which Yang knew-at least for her-there was no going back to the happy, carefree girl she once was. That person was gone forever.

She never imagined she would lose her arm at seventeen.

She never thought she'd gain a confidant in Blake-only for the cat Faunus to turn around and stab her in the _damn back_ without so much as a note or word of goodbye-

She never dreamed her baby sister would up and abandon her, just when she needed someone the most. Her father was trying his best-she couldn't fault him for that-but it was a little too late for it to truly matter. Qrow had done a better job raising her than Taiyang had ever done.

He'd _run._

 _Just like she did-_

Lilac eyes drifted over to the small pile of books stacked on the wooden stand next to the couch, before turning away. She'd read those volumes cover to cover during the earliest days after Ruby left home-and her-behind nearly seven months ago. Or was it eight? It didn't matter. Yang found herself desperate to take her mind off the reality that one of her weapons was gone forever. She couldn't let herself think too deeply. Then that meant she'd have to acknowledge _why_ her arm was gone and who was the direct cause of it.

So she decided to start small. Granted it was an adjustment to begin holding a book with one freaking hand but somehow, she managed to figure it out.

But the blond couldn't go more than a few pages before she slammed the book closed with as much force as one could muster with one hand. Memories of golden eyes peering over the rim of one of her many novels-some of them were _very_ naughty, not like she _peeked_ or anything-at her or Weiss or Ruby made the dull ache in her chest flare with a vicious rage. _The NERVE of that emo bitch. SHE HAD NO RIGHT TO ABANDON US LIKE THAT! ALL SHE DOES IS RUN. THAT'S THE ONLY THING SHE'S GOOD AT. THAT AND KEEPING HER PAST A SECRET-! I'M THE ONE WHO SUFFERED THE MOST. I'M THE ONE THAT PAID THE PRICE FOR HER MISTAKES. We all did! Penny and Pyrrha are both gone. Hundreds of people dead. The school's destroyed. And Dust knows what's going to happen next if this bastard Adam Taurus keeps evading the law-_

 _Stop._ The soft, soothing voice that'd implanted itself into her brain cells the moment she awoke in the guest bedroom and the nightmares had been the worst flowed through her mind, pushing the emotional pain back into the closet where it belonged. _Don't stress yourself. Pick up the remote, flip through the news then you can mope some more._

Yang obeyed, hand reaching for the remote that was on the cushion within arm's reach. _Just a few channels. I can do this._

She clicked on the holo-screen to a random Vale news station with 'BEACON INACCESSABLE' as the headline where she saw an exhausted Glynda Goodwitch struggle to put downtown Vale back together.

 _Why?_ She thought as she stared at her combat instructor. _Why are you still trying? Vale's gone. Beacon's still a Grimm's nest. Stop. Please. Just give up. There's nothing worth saving there anymore._

The only sounds breaking the tranquil silence of her childhood home was Zwei's soft breathing as he slept in his doggie basket situated next to the couch and the somber voices of the local news anchors as they delivered the same messages over and over.

" _-with no end in sight…try as they might, the local Huntsmen and Huntresses can't seem to get a hold of the situation at Beacon Academy-"._

Click.

" _-though the failsafe has supported wireless communications within the Kingdom, the laws of the CCT Tower continues to prevent communication with the outside world. Talks with Atlas officials regarding repairs have so far-"._

Click.

A male Faunus anchor for VOX News had slightly more encouraging news with the headline 'SENDING CITIZENS HOME' but it wasn't much. The people's collective psyches would never be the same.

" _Vale Council has voted this week to continue banning any air traffic that does not have a direct correlation to evacuation. Council has made it clear that-"_

Click. The calm, no-nonsense voice of Lisa Lavender, one of Vale News Network's most trusted news anchors filled the silent room.

" _Multiple rumors continue to circulate as to who was behind the attack on the Vytal Festival Tournament-"_ Yang's eyes widened at the headline 'WHITE FANG MEMBER, ADAM TAURUS, PRESENT DURING BEACON GRIMM ATTACK' and she sat up, eager to hear if there was any latest information to be had. _"While no one knows for sure, officials have confirmed high-ranking White Fang member Adam Taurus was present during the attack. Any and all attempts to bring him into custody have been met with brutal force-"_

Click.

Yang shut off the news half a second before Taiyang burst through the door laden with packages.

"I'm home!" the elder Xiao Long sang precariously trying to balance multiple items at once. The sight made Yang internally flinch. It was yet again another in-your-face reminder that _hey guess what? You can't do that anymore._

But she decided to play along. Humor the old man, cause Dust knows she didn't want his pity.

"Hey Dad."

"Guess what came in today!"

 _Besides another round of obnoxious cheeriness? Do I really_ _ **have**_ _to pretend I give a damn?_

"What?"

He walked into the kitchen with the parcels and bags, a huge smile on his face. "I can't wait for you to try this!"

She took note of the extra excitement in his voice and inwardly cringed. _Oh joy. Now what? He's obviously got something up his sleeve._

Tai approached her with a plain, grey oblong box and set it before her with a slight flourish. She stared at the symbol of Atlas clearly emblazoned on the lid and felt her stomach knot.

 _Wait. Hold on. Did they seriously just-?_

"Well?" Taiyang chirped trying his hardest to get her excited about the gift.

Yang felt like her brain was lagging a few seconds behind her mouth. Everything moved slower with her… _condition._ "It's…for me?"

"Yup! For you and you only."

She raised the lid. Inside the box lay a new prosthetic robot arm. It winked at her as if to say _hey sweetheart, just slip me on and let's get ya back out into the real world. Just ignore the fact you need my help to properly function and we'll be fine._

Lilac eyes sluggishly scanned the shiny metal limb, listening with half an ear as Taiyang continued to gush.

"Brand new, state-of-the-art Atlas tech!" He exulted watching his daughter's reaction very closely. "Yanno, I thought I was gonna have to pull some strings. Call in a few favors. But you earned this one all on your own, kiddo."

 _Yeah. Earned. Right. My reward for being a stupid, emotional fool. Yippee._

She snapped out of her mini funk with a small "Huh?" _Focus Xiao Long. Entertain pops for a little bit longer._ But Yang wasn't used to prolonged thought since she fell into her numbed state over half a year ago. She was fast approaching her limit.

And her dad just kept on _rambling, God please shut up, I can't take much more of this-!_

"Before I could even talk to him, General Ironwood already had one of his top scientists working on this. For you! He wanted me to tell you that you fought admirably. You should be proud of yourself." _Oh. Well. That explains his mood. He wants me to slap this thing on and expect me to shake off my pain. Get back on my feet. Well, he's dead wrong. And admirably? Is he high? Hilarious. What he means is downright reckless and stupid. And no. I'm not proud. I feel foolish. I let my emotions cloud my judgment. I charged in too hot. For someone I_ _ **thought**_ _was my friend. And now here I am. Over six months later. With egg on my face._

But none of these dark thoughts made it past her lips. Glassy eyes stared at him. Near uncomprehending what their owner was being told. And presented with.

"Well? Ya gonna try it on?"

She suddenly felt claustrophobic. _No. I-I can't do this._ The truth was, Yang had gotten used to near inactivity except for her nature walks and occupying herself with household chores.

"I uh…I'm not feeling to great right now." _Get out, get out, get away from here!_ Her brain shouted and like countless times since her ordeal, she surrendered to the mental alarm. "Maybe later?" She knew her dad would be disappointed, but she wasn't ready. Putting on the false arm meant she would be thrown back out into the fire, and she wasn't sure she wanted to feel that pain again. She could hear the guest bedroom calling her name.

Taiyang scratched his head. _Be patient man. She'll come around. In her own time._ "Well, alright." A pang of guilt pricked his heart. He was so eager to begin training with his sunny little dragon he'd forgotten she was no longer the happy-go-lucky daredevil who winked at danger and smiled whenever there was a fight to be had. She was a broken, near-lifeless shell of her former self, a war veteran at the tender age of seventeen and there was nothing he could do to shield her from that. The knowledge he couldn't insulate his girls from the cold, cruel world they lived in broke his heart.

He stood over the open box, blue eyes downcast as he let his daughter walk away. Silently berating himself for possibly pushing his eldest too hard too fast.

Yang paused halfway up the stairs. She didn't want to make her father feel bad. After all, he _was_ trying his best.

"Thanks Dad."

 **TBC…**

 **A/N: Before anyone takes me to task, I will be using original dialogue straight from the episodes. Everything else is original content to flesh out the scenes. And since Yang had the least amount of screen time out of the 4 girls, this sequel will only cover the episodes she appears in. This is the first half of 4x03. So chp 2 will cover the second half of her appearance in that episode and her brief scenes in 4x04. Keep in mind, this fic will be heavily introspective in nature and these sequences will play out completely different in my other RWBY fic 'Crimson King' where Yang is in a budding relationship with a male OC from that story.**

 **Also, I've got a bad feeling Yang's presence in Volume 5 is going to cause more harm than good. She's pretty much a social pariah for the rest of her life. So the eventual team reunion may not go as smoothly as Ruby-and fans-hope it will. The girls won't be the same people pre-Fall. And I don't know if certain bonds within the group can (or will) be fully repaired.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here we go folks, round 2 is here. This'll be it for now, because as of tomorrow I am leaving for the Gulf Coast for vacation and won't be back till 6/4/17. Until then, enjoy and don't forget to review!**

 **Special thx to** **RWBYSTRQ** **for the review along with those 3 faves and 4 follows. Y'all r awesome!**

 **Also, I'll cover 4x04 in my next chapter. Sorry guys. I'll be back in 10 days, so enjoy your Memorial Day weekend! Stay safe everyone!**

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Yang trudged up the stairs with lead in her steps. Already her anxiety brought on by being presented with the robotic limb was subsiding. Slowly. Everything moved at a snail's pace these days. She was a passenger in her own body. Existing, but not fully engaged with her surroundings.

Sleepwalking.

Yes. That was it.

" _I want to wake up not knowing what tomorrow will bring. And that'll be a good thing."_

A soft, derisive snort bubbled out of her mouth. _I sounded so stupid. And naïve. And just plain…dumb._ She wished she could turn back the clock just for the sole purpose of snatching those words out of the air and cramming them back down her throat. Oh, and maybe shotgun-punch that happy carefree, _trusting_ version of herself clear into the next Kingdom. Because _trusting_ people…making herself _vulnerable_ really worked out _so well_ for her in the long run.

Never again. People were messy and caring for them hurt way too much.

Before she was aware of it, Yang was back in the cool, soothing confines of the guest bedroom. The lone sunflower occupying the vase situated next to her bed was starting to wilt. She shuffled past it to sit on the edge of the mattress and swung her legs over the comforter, not bothering to remove her white shoes.

Yang lay back against the pillows a heavy sigh escaping her lips. _I need to shut my eyes. Just for a few minutes._

She stared at the blank ceiling and focused on taking slow, deep breaths. Her night terrors the weeks following her release from the hospital were so intrusive it caused Taiyang to make a panicked call to a local therapist who recommended he teach her enhanced breathing techniques to help aid her recovery. If those failed, then the next step was sleeping pills.

It was a good suggestion. But the early days of her recovery weren't pretty. Even with the aid of breathing techniques the images of _bloodscreamspainfire_ refused to stop holding her psyche hostage in their cruel talons.

Yang felt her eyelids grow heavy. She hadn't slept properly since that horrible night, but it was getting better. Slow but sure. A few hours of nightmare-free rest would make all the difference in the world.

 _Fire._

 _Everything was burning._

 _The school._

 _The Fairgrounds._

 _Screams assaulted her ears as she ran out of her dorm, Ember Celica burning through Grimm and White Fang alike._

 _Save the school._

 _Save the kids._

 _Save civilians._

 _Save friends._

 _Ruby where are you?_

 _Weiss, Blake be careful!_

 _She fought and fought and fought but they kept streaming in a never-ending tide. No matter how many fell before her flaming fists more took their place._

 _What was happening?_ _ **Why**_ _was this happening? Was this some form of sick punishment? She couldn't think straight beyond cutting down everything in her path in a blaze of furious fire. Just keep punching. Don't think. Punch._

 _Finally, a lull in the wave gave her a chance to make a break for the main courtyard. She found Weiss bent over in exhaustion, her death clutch on Myrtenaster's hilt the only thing keeping her upright. Behind her stood familiar faces of teams SSSN, CVFY and various tournament competitors united in the fight against the darkness._

 _She remembered frantically asking the Schnee heiress where Blake was and being pointed in the direction of the cafeteria after she was told Blake had gone after an Alpha and the White Fang._

 _This was bad._

 _She needed to hurry._

 _Fire erupted from her fists, her Semblance working overtime. She had to find Blake. Save her. Reunite with the teams out front and continue fighting._

 _That's when she heard it. A distinct female scream. Blake was in pain! She turned. Saw through one of the cafeteria's broken windows. Blake. Lying on the ground. Arms spread in surrender. A tall male, dressed in black and red towered over her cowering friend. Pulling his red katana out of her friend's gut._

 _Oh HELL NO._

 _NOBODY hurt Blake._

 _That bastard was dead._

 _The thought became action. A shouted warning. A primal scream. She launched herself at the man full power, fist cocked. Tears streaming. In another half second she'd blow his head off and then-_

 _It wasn't there._

 _Her arm was gone._

 _Just like that._

 _And she felt herself falling-_

 _Falling._

 _Falling._

 _Then darkness._

 _Blake left her._

 _She left. She left. She left._

 _She left you behind. Because you're pathetic. Because you're weak. She knew him. She knew she knew she knew and she didn't tell-_

Yang jerked awake, gasping. She looked outside.

It was still sunny.

She ran her hand over her face. _Stupid nightmares. I hate them. I just want them to go away._ Well. She wouldn't be getting any more rest today. Not till tonight where she'd have to endure yet another possible sleepless night. Lovely.

 _If I can't sleep might as well keep myself busy._

Swinging her legs over the bed Yang decided to perform the routine she'd taught herself when she didn't feel like taking a nature walk or helping her dad with splitting wood. She slowly trudged down the stairs to a surprised Taiyang watching the news.

"Sweetheart?"

"How long was I out?"

"About an hour."

Yang drew in a deep breath. Let it out slowly. _That. Sucks._

"Okay. I'm gonna do my thing."

He nodded, not needing to be told what she meant.

She grabbed the broom and went outside. The bright sun caused her to squint.

First up was the porch. She spent some time sweeping, the soft brush of the bristles soothing to her ears.

 _You know, this would be a lot easier with that robotic arm-_

 _Shut up. I don't need that stupid thing._

 _Heh. Suit yourself._

She decided to prolong going back inside by walking to see if there was any mail. That was harmless. Envelopes weren't threatening. She walked as slow as she could, savoring the sun on her skin. Upon reaching the mailbox she checked and lo behold, there was stuff. Mostly for her dad.

That was fine. It's not like she was expecting a letter or anything.

Once she went back indoors she deposited the mail on the counter then went to wash dishes. All the while she felt her father's concerned gaze follow her. _Stop Dad. Please. You're being a helicopter. It's annoying._

But she didn't have the energy to tell him that.

And that's when it happened.

She was minding her business, washing dishes and had just rinsed out a glass cup when she lost her grip. It shattered into pieces and the noise made Yang jump. A white flash and metallic _ching_ assaulted her ears. Adam's blade. _No. NO. Go away! LEAVE ME ALONE!_ She slammed her fist down on the counter in frustration. Unaware Taiyang stood in the doorway a pained look on his handsome face.

Yang gritted her teeth. Frustration bubbled under her skin. _I hate that man. I hate him so much! He's got NO RIGHT to steal my sleep, my sanity night after night. Now his sword haunts me during the day. Arrrgh!_

But it didn't matter. She thought she was safe, tucked away in her home but she was wrong. She couldn't run from him. Not in her dreams.

And she never felt more helpless in her life.

 _What am I going to do?_

 _Someone._

 _Anyone._

 _Please, please._

 _Help me._

 _Save me from this hell._

 _Help me._

But the room remained unmoved by her silent plea.

The shattered glass winked at her from the floor. She was like that now. A broken husk. A misshapen spark. No longer whole and symmetrical.

She was deformed. Hideous. No one-least of all a man-would accept her disability or put up with the constant barrage of nightmares and panic attacks. Or endure public scorn just by being associated with her.

She-Yang Xiao Long-was no longer perfect. Or desirable.

She was a mess. Mentally and physically. And she wasn't sure if she wanted to return to a semblance of normal by donning that robotic arm.

 **TBC…**


	3. Chapter 3

_Screams._

 _Blood._

 _Fire._

 _Ruin._

 _Death._

 _She found herself back in the burning ruins of Beacon Academy's cafeteria, the building suspiciously vacant. Loud. Everything was so loud. The booming of gunfire. Nevermores shrieking. Ursas roaring. Beowolves howling._

 _Screams filled her ears, the horrific sounds amplified in this hellish nightmare. And in the distance, amid the shattered tables and cracked concrete floors, bits of glass strewn everywhere she saw…him._

 _Adam Taurus' imposing figure strode towards her with implacable steps, just as he had every night since he'd cut off her arm during that brief encounter. His sadistic smirk grew as he drew closer._

 _Yang raised her fists, Ember Celica in place, closed her eyes and began shooting blindly, screaming at the apparition. But the fiery rounds passed harmlessly through his body._

 _Is he gone? She opened her eyes._

 _He was right there._

 _Inches in front of her face._

 _She screamed, instinctively throwing a punch but to her horror, nothing happened. What was she doing here? There was a specific reason she went in this direction._

 _Wasn't there?_

 _She couldn't remember._

 _Her right arm was gone. The dull grey cap over her stump mocked the terrified teen. Ember Celica was gone. Her left arm was just like a normal, defenseless citizen's._

 _Bare._

 _And helpless._

 _Behind the mask, Adam smiled, knowing his prey was trapped._

 _He stepped closer and partially withdrew his red blade and then-_

Yang woke with a light gasp. _At least I didn't scream myself awake this time._ In the initial days after she was safely discharged to go home, she'd been bombarded by night terrors and panic attacks without mercy. So much so, Taiyang was forced to admit her to psychiatric care for a while so she could sleep without being tormented incessantly.

A loud burst of laughter rang out from below. Curious, Yang slipped out of bed-slightly sweaty-from the nightmare and padded down the stairs. The voices grew louder and she recognized them. Peter Port was here. And if he was present, then Oobleck would be at his side. _Come to think of it, I've never really seen them without the other around._ Yang thought as she crept closer to the men joking and laughing with her dad in the kitchen.

"…and…and…and then in comes Qrow, wearing a _skirt!_ " Port laughed deeply engrossed in the infamous memory of the hapless ex-bandit completely oblivious to modern school uniforms. "I was just a T.A. I-I didn't know what to do so I just left the room to laugh!" This got another rise out of Tai and Oobleck who started laughing even harder.

Yang crept closer, not wanting to broadcast her presence just yet. This was a side to her uncle and father she'd never heard before and she wanted to learn more before they discovered her.

"Yeah we told him it was a kilt," Tai said, waving his hand for emphasis. "He'd never worn a uniform before, so he didn't know!"

Oobleck chuckled, holding a cup of coffee in front of his face. "Ah that's terrible, but that's Qrow for you!"

"Hey c'mon the girls all said he had nice legs. I did that jerk a favor! Besides that's not even the best part. See, then we-"

Port plopped his leg onto the table cutting Taiyang off.

"Like what you see?" He said, not even bothering to mimic Qrow's distinctive rasp. It didn't matter. All three men burst out laughing, doubling over with uncontrolled mirth. He wobbled, lost his balance and fell to the hard-wooden floor with a heavy thump. But that only triggered another round of hilarity.

Despite herself, an involuntary giggle escaped Yang's throat. Immediately Port went from goofing around with old friends to her teacher in an eyeblink.

"Oh! Uh…Ms. Xiao Long! Please come join us!"

"Oh ho, yes. Please. Pull up a chair! Please, pull up a chair." Oobleck invited as she moved past the tall hunter to where her dad lounged against the counter.

She smiled at him as she used her legs and remaining hand to hop up on the countertop. "Nah. I'm good. So…what are you doing here?"

"Despite popular belief, teachers have a life outside the classroom." Oobleck informed his former student.

Port decided to jump in with what he hoped was good news. Dust knew the girl in front of him could use some.

"Professor Goodwitch is working around the clock restoring Beacon to its former glory. But Mistral wasn't built in a day. And we all need some rest from time to time."

"Hah! Look. Let's not worry about that right now," Taiyang interjected, trying to keep the mood light for his daughter's sake. "So, there we were, standing in the auditorium looking at Qrow, wearing a _skirt._ Then Oz tells everyone it's time to work on our landing strategy." Both father and daughter along with the two teachers shared a hearty laugh. Well _hers_ was quieter but a laugh was a laugh regardless.

"The Branwen twins have always been… _interesting_ to say the least," Oobleck remarked gesturing with his cup towards Port.

"That sure didn't seem to stop young Tai," he said, amusement coloring his bombastic voice.

"Hey. C'mon man, she's right here!" The blonde male protested, jerking his thumb towards Yang. Any mention of the Branwen siblings sent him into instant panic mode and his blood pressure through the roof. Raven was an unspoken taboo within the Xiao Long household and that wound still smarted even though Team STRQ had been disbanded seventeen years ago with his ex-wife's sudden disappearance.

But Port waved him off.

"Oh _please._ She's a mature young woman. If she can handle combat, she can handle a few jabs at her old man."

Tai pushed off the counter, desperate to change the subject. "That's not the issue Pete. And besides, she's still a teenager."

 _Oh hell no. He doesn't get to play Daddy Knows Best. Not now. Not since he abandoned me and Ruby to his depression._ Yang glared at her father.

" _She_ is also in the room and can be directly spoken to." Annoyed, she hopped down to face her dad properly, refusing to be treated as a child. "And I think I've been through enough to be considered an adult at this point."

"Adult or not, you've still got a long way to go before you're ready for the real world."

Yang leaned forward, irritation rising at his patronizing tone. _You can talk to Ruby like that. But don't you DARE think you can use that tone on ME._ She mentally fumed as she continued to push back against his belated attempt to shield her from the harsh realities of life.

"Oh my gosh, does _every_ father figure have the same three condescending phrases?!"

"Yeah! But only because we _mean_ them!"

"Is that so?" Yang sneered, not budging an inch. Dimly conscious that her old pre-Fall self would _never_ think of mouthing off to her father.

"Yeah. As a matter of fact, it _is_ so!" The elder Xiao Long shot back. Deep down he knew she was right but he was in papa bear mode and the fact his daughter was no longer a wide-eyed little girl in pigtails and that he missed half of her life only fueled his late overprotective speech. "If you honestly think you're ready to go out there on your own? Hah! Well I guess you've lost some brain cells along with that arm."

Yang gaped. Port and Oobleck froze, bracing themselves for the ensuing explosion, cups clattering to the table top.

To their shock-and secret delight-the blonde started _laughing._

The two men relaxed as Taiyang double-over in mirth and found themselves cracking more puns, which resulted in Yang laughing even harder.

That was good.

 _Hopefully that snaps her out of her funk,_ Oobleck thought as he took another sip of coffee.

Then Port dropped the million-dollar question as carefully as he could. Praying the girl wouldn't shut down or ignore the increasingly oversized elephant in the room.

"Ahaha, ahem. Ms. Xiao Lo—Yang. If you don't mind me asking. Why haven't you tried on the arm yet?"

"Ah yes, yes! A piece of Atlas technology being given out like that is rare indeed. Not to mention the air-fare it took to deliver it here." Oobleck stated waving his hand for emphasis. "It seems a great many people want to see you return to normal."

Yang stared at her former teacher. _Normal? Is he for real? How can he just sit there and SAY that? My normal isn't their normal. Not anymore._

Even so, she knew the pair wouldn't stop until she gave them an answer.

"I'm…" _C'mon Xiao Long. Spit it out._ "Scared. Everyone talks about me returning back to normal…and I appreciate it, but _this-_ " She held out her jacket-covered stump. "This _is_ normal now. It's just taken me awhile to get used to it." Yang hoped this succinct explanation would help the men try to understand that even if she donned the fake arm, it wouldn't mean she was automatically 'fixed'. Not by a long shot. The mental trauma she had received at Adam's hand was still ongoing and showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. But she chose not to mention it. No need to worry her dad-or her teachers-any further.

Apparently, the message failed on delivery to her dad when he said:

"Well, normal is what you make of it."

 _That's it! I've had enough!_

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" _Please. Enlighten me as to why this is relevant._ "Do you want me to just pretend like nothing happened?" Yang felt the tug of wounds old and new throb painfully. "I lost a _part_ of me. A piece of me is gone. And it's _never_ coming back." _Like Summer. Like Raven. Like everyone I ever gave a damn about. They always leave me behind._

"You're right." Taiyang replied a semi-doleful look creeping into his worn blue eyes. "It's not coming back. But that doesn't have to stop you from becoming who you wanna be. You're _Yang Xiao Long_. My Sunny Little Dragon." He placed a reassuring hand on his daughter's shoulder. "You can do whatever you put your mind to. So whenever you're ready to stop moping? And get back out there? I'll be there for you."

She had no doubt he would… _but he hasn't lost a limb._

 _Listen up. He lost both his wives-one by abandonment and the other by death-and is stuck with the obnoxious brother-in-law he barely tolerates. The only reason Qrow bothers to show up let alone share space with him is because of you and your sister. He hates your dad with a passion. Never did forgive him for bullying him into wearing that skirt during their Beacon days._

Yang blinked, opening and shutting her mouth.

"I…I-"

Port saw her struggling and offered a word of encouragement.

"Fear is like any other emotion. It comes and goes. It's all in how you handle it. Why, even I find myself wrestling with that emotion from time to time."

 _What? Am I hearing this right? Professor Port…afraid?_ Yang could not make the bombastic image of the portly hunter compute with the word fear. It didn't make sense.

"Really? You." _Now this I gotta hear._

"He's afraid of mice," Oobleck whispered to her behind his hand. Port slammed his fist down on the table.

"They bring only disease and famine! And don't get me started on their tails!"

Oobleck responded back but his friend was so loud both men failed to hear Yang chuckle, trying to hide it behind her fist. But it didn't go unnoticed by a watchful Taiyang.

 _There's my Sunny Little Dragon. I'm glad Pete and Oobleck came over._

Yang glanced at the clock. It was getting late and she needed to get some sleep. So after excusing herself from the kitchen, she made her way upstairs to the guest bedroom.

She intended to slip into bed but Port and Oobleck's raised voices caught her attention.

"Thank you for having us over," Port was saying to her dad.

"Anytime," Tai said. "You're always welcome."

Yang darted behind the window curtain, just to satisfy her curiosity. She wasn't _eavesdropping._ Just curious. That's all. No harm, no foul.

"It may be awhile before we return," Oobleck said pushing up his glasses. "But there's still much work to be done at the school."

"I hesitate to ask," Port began, hoping he wouldn't trigger the sensitive blond bruiser. "But…is there any word from young Ms. Rose?"

Yang shifted slightly. Not wanting to get caught.

"Not yet," was her father's morose response.

"Have you thought about going after her?" Oobleck asked. "Bring her home?"

Yang held her breath.

 _Yeah. He has. Every day. But…even if he did track her down, Rubes wouldn't come back. She's hellbent on putting a stop to whatever this is._

Taiyang expelled a heavy sigh. _Trust these guys to ask the hard questions._

"I-" he started shooting a glance at the guest bedroom. "Gotta look after some things."

Yang ducked behind the curtain. Guilt shooting through her stomach at her dad's words.

 _Me. He can't go after Ruby because…he's stuck. Taking care of…me. I'm a burden to him._

The prosthetic arm lay on the nightstand next to her bed.

 _Well?_ It seemed to say. _Looks like you've got a choice to make. You can continue to sit in this room and rot. Or you could try me on and not be a burden on your old man's shoulders. Fake it till ya make it. At least it'll wipe the pity out of his eyes._

Yeah.

Pity.

She hated pity.

But-

Wasn't that what was she was currently mired in? A toxic waste of depression and misery and yes…that hateful pity.

She laid down on her bed. Surprisingly there were no nightmares. _Maybe Port was right. Fear really does ebb and flow just like he said._

She woke around noon the next day. Glanced over at the robotic arm.

 _If Ironwood believes in me enough that he sent me this…then maybe-_

Before she could talk herself out of it, Yang walked over to where the limb lay, picked it up and attached the connectors to the metal sprocket already fitted over her stump.

She had come to a decision.

When she walked outside rolling the false wrist to test the movement, she spotted her dad kneeling next to the garden, watering the sunflowers.

Upon hearing the front door open, Taiyang glanced up.

Only to see his daughter emerge from the house, robotic arm fully attached and testing its functionality.

He stood, a smile on his face.

"Okay. Let's get started."

 **TBC…**

 **A/N: HOLY CRAP Y'ALL, this was a LONG one, lol. I'm curious how the writers are gonna handle Yang's journey through V5 and beyond. Several things that need to be an ongoing thing: her PTSD and how that's gonna affect her and the people around her. Her emotional state: is she going to become less trusting and distant? And finally, her bond with Blake. No, I don't believe she should fully repair it despite the FNDM wanting her to resolve her issues with Blake in a single volume. Abandoning someone is serious, well-intentioned or not. That should, by no means be a quick-fix. Yang tends to hold grudges and she's not below getting violent to get her point across. But she might take the tsundere route for a bit when dealing with Blake in the future. We'll see. Only time will tell. I say this because if someone I considered my friend abandoned me without explaining themselves, I would emotionally and physically cut them out of my life. I want to see this in the show regarding Yang and her relationships with her family, team and future allies.**

 **Enjoy and don't forget to review! Y'all are awesome!**


	4. Chapter 4

****2 weeks later****

.

.

Yang slumped in her bed after another grueling training regimen with her father. Hair damp and dressed in a fresh pair of sweats and orange tank she placed both hands-flesh and mechanical-behind her head. It felt weird to suddenly have two hands again. But she was determined NOT to be a burden on her dad any longer. Ruby was out there, and she needed to make up for lost time. Even though she ran the risk of relapsing, she had to get away from the house. Yang knew she was on her own if anything went down, regardless of her still unresolved PTSD.

 _Old man's working me like a machine. Haven't been this stretched in a while. Didn't think he was THIS desperate._ But she knew better. Taiyang had been waiting eight months to begin whipping her back into fighting shape and this was only the beginning.

She knew she was getting better. Stronger as the days turned into weeks. Tai was teaching her not to rely on her Semblance too much, as it was in his words "no more than a temper tantrum." She hadn't the heart or energy to argue. There was no point. She'd been using it as a crutch but it had nearly gotten her killed several times. And since Raven wasn't going to jump in and save her again-according to Qrow-she couldn't rely on any outside help if she got separated from her friends during battle. It was tricky to retrain her mind not to tap her power after her father got the drop on her several days in a row. He hardly gave her a chance to breathe as he ran her through drill after drill.

Yang brought her mechanical arm before her face, palm splayed toward the ceiling as she stared at the gleaming chrome.

 _I still can't believe this is my new normal now. My life is seriously too weird for words._

And if anyone told her she would be incorporating more kicks and throws to her arsenal along with her legendary punches she would've laughed and called them crazy.

She still couldn't believe Tai had opened up to her about Raven. Well, maybe he didn't give her _all_ the dirty details of their relationship, but even mentioning her strengths in a positive manner surprised her all the same.

But she remembered how hesitant he was to tell her that regardless how strong and ambitious Raven was, he pointed out her flaws tore their team apart and the toll her absence took on their family caused needed no further explanation.

 _Just like a certain cowardly black cat who ran because she couldn't face us. Face me because she was weak. She RAN AWAY. Tore our team apart without a second thought. Because she's selfish. And a liar. And a coward. And a massive hypocrite. I don't think I can forgive her for that._ Yang sighed deeply through her nose and exhaled, pushing thoughts of her ex-best friend out of her mind. Blake was the root source of the current pain in her life despite Raven being the original offender and Yang refused to be hurt by again by someone's poor choices. Or the pain of being abandoned yet _again_ by someone she cared about.

Just like Raven.

And Summer.

And Qrow.

And Ruby.

They all left her behind.

She couldn't find the wherewithal to be angry at Weiss. The Ice Queen had been taken home by her father by force. Judging by the reluctance in her face when her father practically dragged her away by the force of his will and Atlesian guards, she didn't want to abandon her friends and home.

But it didn't matter. Weiss was in no condition to come visit and it wasn't like she received any letters from her wandering little sister. That stung a little more than it should but again, Yang brushed the negativity aside to a dim corner of her brain.

Emotions were deadly.

They could get you killed.

She was getting really, _really_ good at stuffing negative emotions. It should've scared her. But it didn't.

It was ironic. Someone who thrived on putting a bright, cheerful façade to mask her ever-mounting anger and loneliness, who spit fire and fury, whose very power was pain itself-ungodly amounts of it-was learning to tap her inner Ice Queen. A wry smirk curled her mouth. She finally understood maybe just a little, how Weiss must've been trained to keep her emotions on a very short leash.

" _Never telegraph your feelings."_ One of Taiyang's lessons floated to the front of the blond's mind as she lowered her false arm on the headboard, staring at the ceiling. It was a clear night, full of stars and the moon was out. _"No matter what, keep them guessing. The slightest read, even if it's something small can give a skilled fighter the opening he needs."_

" _I know Dad. Geez. You've repeated that so many times I can say it in my sleep!"_

" _Good. And I'm gonna keep saying it until you can recite it while sleepwalking. Did you think I was a part of the best team to graduate Beacon because I stopped honing my skills? No. Out of the four I was the most human of the group. By that I didn't have freakish powers like the Branwens and Summer. I had my martial arts and my Semblance, which compared to the others was fairly average, but I was the tank. I became the solid dependable rock, not out of being reckless, but because I brought much-needed balance. Sure Summer was the leader. Qrow was the spy. Raven was the brains. But they came to rely on me over time. I wish that meant our team would be one big happy family forever and ever. But things…didn't work out. Our dreams died the moment Raven walked out. Summer tried to keep us together, but Qrow and I never really liked each other. We tolerated the other for the girls' sake and the team but that's it. And then Summer went off on that mission."_

 _The older man paused, a mug of steaming hot tea halfway to his lips as his daughter sat on the sofa, hanging on his every word. The next words he spoke was so low Yang had to strain to hear them. "Why did Qrow go after her? She had everything under control…so why? There was no reason for him to interfere."_

 _Yang held her breath, heart breaking at her father's words. Would he finally tell her the truth surrounding her stepmother's mysterious death? It sounded like he held Qrow responsible for some reason. But if there was the possibility that Summer had been Qrow's partner, and she was gone longer than he felt comfortable with…then it wasn't hard to picture her uncle going to investigate._

 _Suddenly Tai remembered he wasn't alone in the living room and abruptly stood, mug in hand._

" _Sorry, my little Sunny Dragon. It's getting late and I've got a full day tomorrow."_

 _Yang snuck a peek out the window. The sun had about two hours till it fully set. She wanted to know more, but she didn't have the heart to press. Tai rarely talked about his team and even less about his two lost wives. She decided to turn in early. Maybe there wouldn't be any nightmares tonight._

Yang felt her eyelids droop.

She knew what she had to do.

Go to Mistral.

Find Ruby.

 _And then what? You're just gonna resume being the babysitter again? Ruby can handle herself. She's a big girl. Shouldn't you be focusing on other things? Like tracking down Raven?_

She sighed. Why could her brain never shut up?

But then again…

Maybe Qrow was right.

She had nothing to lose.

Team RWBY was disbanded and even if they did reunite it wouldn't be the same. They weren't in school anymore. They would meet again on the battlefield as full-fledged Huntresses with divergent agendas and personal goals. And it wouldn't be fair to the remains of Team JN_R. Pyrrha was dead. It wouldn't feel right.

She still wasn't going to forgive Blake for abandoning her and breaking RWBY up for a while. Possibly never.

After all.

Enemies weren't the only people Yang could hold a grudge against.

 **A/N: What it is, guys! It's your girl Risa and yes that is my pseudonym (not to be confused with my pen name, ice shredder). I've chosen this because I want my readers to be more at ease when talking to me in the comments or future authors notes or when I give shout outs to loyalists-or loyals-for short (these are the people who comment regularly on my fics and who I PM outside of their reviews).**

 **Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy this chapter, and are as stoked as I am for the Yang character short that I hope drops by next week, because the Volume 5 premiere is 17 days away! ALL ABOARD THE HYPE TRAIN KIDS! WHOOP! WHOOP!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: hey guys long time no see. Work got in the way and as much as I'd love to spend most of my time writing and posting fanfic, rl takes priority. So now y'all know the reason I've been quiet for the last five months. I haven't abandoned you. Promise.**

 **All dialogue is straight from 4x11 'Taking Control'. Everything else is my own creation. Enjoy and don't forget to review! I may continue this little mini-series in another installment but it's gonna read and feel a lot different from 'Scattered' and 'Rekindled'. Since V5 was (in my mind a complete, utter cluster fail and the worst volume to date of the series) Yang's POV will be handled slightly different. I'm still working out the details, but it'll probably read as a series of snapshots from critical moments of the volume.**

 **With that out of the way, enjoy the chapter and don't forget to let me know what you think! Love ya guys!**

 **Special thx to fellow loyals RWBYSTRQ and KnightSpark for their support and kind words! :) This fic wouldn't have been completed without you showing it love!**

 **.**

 **.**

 _Today is the day. No more excuses. I've gotta get back in the game._

Yang stooped over her robotic arm and her remaining Ember Celica gauntlet placed on a brown drip cloth in the middle of the grassy yard, spray paint in hand. She'd spent the entire morning debating on what to do next and now that she was somewhat back into fighting shape, her natural restlessness returned. Ruby was out there and she needed help. It was time for her to rejoin the outside world.

She knew she wasn't fully 100 but there was no more time to mope. _I've rested long enough,_ the blonde bruiser thought as she concentrated on adding pizzazz to her robotic limb and her left Celica gauntlet. After a few minutes more getting the colors exactly how she wanted them she stood up and wiped her forehead with her left arm. Lilac eyes beamed with pride. Her metal arm and gauntlet gleamed under the midday sun, fresh black and gold paint revitalizing her most prized possessions. _Adam, I hope you're ready to dance,_ Yang thought darkly as an accomplished smile stole across her face. That stupid bull should've killed her when he had the chance. Because now…now she was determined to make him pay.

For her arm.

For her sanity.

For rendering her temporarily _useless._

For _separating her_ from her baby sister.

Satisfied with her work, she gingerly picked up the freshly painted robotic arm and smoothly clicked it into place over the round, metal plate she'd painted gold attached to her bandaged stump. Much better. She felt less vulnerable, less _useless_ with it on. Why had she resisted it again?

Oh right. Fear.

Well no more. Today, she was going to put her big girl panties back on and woman up. Like she always did. She wasn't going to find Ruby wasting away in the guest room feeling sorry for herself.

She walked over to the shed at the edge of the property where Taiyang kept all his tools and the parking spot for her beloved Bumblebee. Opening the door, she walked over and removed the burlap tarp covering her bike. Ever since the loss of her arm, her father had wheeled it into the shed and covered it up. She had no use for it. Driving a motorcycle required two arms and in her depressed state, she allowed the love of riding wash out of her for a while.

But now with her new arm and her spark rekindled into a controlled burn thanks to Tai's training and hard-fought wisdom, her love of adventure resurfaced. She felt reborn.

"I don't remember saying you were ready." Taiyang's admonishing voice broke through her reverie. Instantly her fond smile turned challenging even though he couldn't see it.

"Oh yeah? You gonna try and stop me?"

Much to her surprise, her dad began chuckling. _Huh. He's not mad._

"No." The elder Xiao Long rolled his shoulder feeling the lingering joint pain. _She really put me through my paces. I'm so proud of her._ "I think I'm still too sore after our last fight." He folded his arms, a serious tone seeping into his voice. "I just wanted a better goodbye than a letter. And I also have a question for you."

Yang braced herself. _Oh boy. Here it comes._ She recalled how her old man had rushed out of the house in a panic-dropping the tray of soup and water in his wake, to pursue his youngest (favorite) daughter-leaving her unattended in the guest room after he discovered Ruby's hastily scribbled note left on her empty bed. It took Qrow bodily intervening to convince the blonde to leave everything to him and return to care for his oldest daughter. He would keep a sharp eye on the kid.

With these thoughts running through her head, Yang turned to face her dad.

"Where are you going?"

 _Uhh…is he serious? Do I_ _ **really**_ _need to spell it out?_

"What do ya mean?"

Tai pushed off where he'd been slouched in the doorframe to explain his reasoning.

"Well, despite his numerous claims _not_ to," he started waving his hand for emphasis. "I know that Qrow's told you where your mother's been at these days."

 _Ah. There it is. The elephant in the room._

"I know how much you want to see her," he continued distaste for his brother-in-law dropping hints in spite of his wishes for his little girl to NOT get involved with Raven. But she was no longer a child. It was far past time she found out the truth for herself. She was a young adult. He could no longer play papa bear and prevent her from meeting her estranged mother. "I've stopped you in the past, but I won't anymore."

Yang blinked at her father's words. Now that she finally got her father's blessing (not like she needed it before) to pursue her heart's biggest question it no longer felt like she had to keep her decade long quest a secret.

"On another note," Tai said. "We know your sister's headed to Mistral."

Yang turned her head slightly away from her dad to gaze at the sleek lines of her motorcycle. _Yeah. I already knew that. Old news pops._ But she remained silent, letting Tai finish his thought.

"So. _Where_ are you going?"

A few heartbeats passed.

Yang turned to face her father, determination narrowing her eyes.

"I'm going to Mistral. More specifically Haven Academy. That's where Ruby's headed." Yang trailed off getting lost in thought. "But it's gonna take time to get there. Too long for my taste. I don't even know where to start."

Tai nodded, relief of getting a straight answer washing through his tense frame. "I can help you with that."

"How?"

He took a deep breath, gathering courage that had long ago deserted him when his team fell apart and Raven abandoned him and her only child and lost Summer to the cruel grasp of death.

"I haven't told you about Raven's Semblance yet, have I?" When she shook her head no he pursed his lips. _Guess I've got no choice._ He thought. _I'm not getting in the middle of this. I stopped getting involved with Ozpin's affairs after Raven left and Summer died. I've lost too much to the Old Man already._

"That's cause you never liked talking about her in the first place," Yang rejoined, arching a slender brow. "So. Tell me everything."

Tai rubbed his chin blue eyes seeking fortitude from the sanded shed floor. "Er, well it's…quite a _unique_ power."

Yang's eyes widened. A distant memory prodded her brain. She was back on the bomb-rigged train, fighting a petite tri-colored midget who had no problem pushing her around. _Neo. That was her name._ She recalled getting flung into the metal ceiling of the train car and waking up to catching a glimpse of her mother right before she walked into strange pulsating black and red portal.

"You mean…?"

Tai nodded. "Yep. That was it. Back during our Beacon days when Team STRQ was whole, I recall Raven being an extremely tough nut to crack. It took a while for her to warm up to us. But when she finally did, it came with a special perk."

Yang folded her arms, inclining her head to let her dad know he had her full, undivided attention.

"See, Raven's Semblance is portal creation. But there was a catch. She could only create a portal if she was emotionally bonded to someone else. Came in handy if you were in a pinch. She simply swooped in to save the day."

Yang nodded. "Like she did on the train. She drove that midget girl away."

"Yes. But knowing your Mom, that was a one-time deal. Which is why I'm asking you to exercise caution sweetheart. She's not going to bail you out if you're in trouble again. That's the reason I kept harping on limiting your Semblance unless you absolutely need it and pull from your own power. I know you've got that in spades." He smiled at her and she couldn't help but return the favor. "Anyway, back to what I was saying. Since Raven was a cool, detached person who trusted no one except Qrow, it took her time to open up to the rest of the team. It was only after a particularly dangerous training mission that some of us almost didn't make it back to school alive did she relent and bond to Summer and I. But…when Summer died, her portal went with her. Now there's only three known individuals she's connected to. Qrow, me and obviously, you."

"Not Ruby?"

He shook his head.

"No sweetheart. She left before Ruby was born. Portals are earned. Not inherited. You only have one because you're her child. But please. Try to control yourself when you meet her. For me. She's quite unpredictable and she _does_ have the power to turn you down should you push her the wrong way."

Yang shrugged turning her attention back to Bumblebee. She'd heard enough. "I can handle it."

"I hope so my Sunny Little Dragon. For your sister's sake."

She waited until Tai left the shed to head back to the house, leaving her alone with her thoughts and all the brand-new information she'd just learned about her mother.

She started polishing Bumblebee's orange-yellow surface lilac eyes gleaming with resolve.

 _I'm coming lil sis. I promised I'd have your back. I won't leave you again._

 **-end**


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